HireBetter
HireBetter is an Austin-based strategic talent acquisition firm offering retained executive search, talent roadmapping, project consulting, and outsourced talent services for lower middle-market companies ($10M-$200M revenue) across CPG, insurance, fintech, manufacturing, and biotech. Acquired by 512Financial in 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What HireBetter does
HireBetter is an Austin, Texas-based strategic talent acquisition firm serving lower middle-market companies (roughly $10M to $200M in revenue) across diverse industries including consumer packaged goods, insurance, manufacturing, fintech, and biotech. The firm was acquired by founder Kurt Wilkin in 2011 and repositioned from a contingent to a retained executive search model, with current CEO Velveth Schmitz leading the firm as of 2024 and Kurt Wilkin serving as Chairman. In 2025, HireBetter was acquired by 512Financial, a financial services and advisory firm, and continues to operate under the HireBetter brand as 'HireBetter, A 512Financial Company.'
The firm operates four integrated service lines: Strategic Talent Planning™ (proprietary talent roadmapping methodology), Retained Search (C-Suite and VP-level executive placements), Project Consulting (interim executives and strategic initiative support including ERP selection, M&A due diligence, and staff augmentation), and Talent-as-a-Service (outsourced talent acquisition for multi-role hiring). The firm's underlying technology consists of proprietary consulting methodologies rather than software platforms, with the Strategic Talent Planning™ service mark as its registered intellectual property. Notable customers include Seven Corners, Essentium, Deep Eddy Vodka, Vital Farms, Buc-ee's, Supergoop, Open Lending, and Tecovas.
Revenue is generated through per-engagement retainers for executive search and professional services fees for project consulting, with engagements structured around upfront commitment and multi-year relationships. The go-to-market is consultative and sales-led, leveraging direct enterprise outreach, a partner referral network (CEO Coaching International, Chief Outsiders, Preferred CFO, STS Capital Partners), and content-driven inbound marketing via two podcasts, SEO, guides, and case studies. The firm has placed talent across 35 states, demonstrates national reach from its Austin headquarters, and has been recognized on Forbes' America's Best Executive Recruiting Firms (2021) and Austin Business Journal's #1 Austin-area Retained Executive Search firm (2021).
HireBetter firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HireBetter
- Legal name
- HireBetter
- Website
- https://hirebetter.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- HireBetter is an Austin-based strategic talent acquisition firm offering retained executive search, talent roadmapping, project consulting, and outsourced talent services for lower middle-market companies ($10M-$200M revenue) across CPG, insurance, fintech, manufacturing, and biotech. Acquired by 512Financial in 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HireBetter industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Search & Talent Acquisition Services
- NAICS
- Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare) (BPACAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Talent Management & Workforce Planning Consulting (BPAHAGAA)
Keywords
Where HireBetter is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
HireBetter business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retained Search: Permanent placement of C-Suite executives and VP-level leaders for growth-minded companies. The retained model ensures deep partnership alignment with clients, with engagement starting before candidate placement and continuing through onboarding with regular check-ins.
- Strategic Talent Planning: Proactive talent roadmapping and org chart optimization services. Includes in-person facilitated sessions, gap analysis, talent roadmap development, and quarterly talent reviews.
- Project Consulting: Interim executive placement and project-based consulting for urgent needs. Covers areas like ERP selection, business process optimization, M&A due diligence, and staff augmentation (CFO, Controller, HR Director, PMO, etc.).
- Talent-as-a-Service: Outsourced talent acquisition support for companies hiring for multiple roles. Flexible, ongoing talent acquisition partnership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Retained Search engagements for executive and leadership roles |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
HireBetter product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HireBetter is a strategic talent partner that provides retained executive recruiting and talent consulting services to growth-minded, lower middle-market companies (approximately $10M–$200M in revenue). Its core offerings include Strategic Talent Planning (talent roadmapping aligned to business strategy and financial forecast), Retained Search (permanent C-Suite and VP-level placements), Project Consulting (interim executives and consulting for ERP, M&A, and operational initiatives), and Talent-as-a-Service (outsourced talent acquisition for multi-role hiring).
Product overview
HireBetter is a talent acquisition and consulting firm that operates as a 'Strategic Talent Partner' rather than a traditional recruiting firm. The company offers a portfolio of interconnected talent services: Strategic Talent Planning (talent roadmapping and alignment), Retained Search (C-Suite and executive recruiting), Project Consulting (interim executives and strategic initiative support), and Talent-as-a-Service (outsourced talent acquisition). These core services are complemented by free intellectual resources including the 'Who's Your Mike?' book, various hiring guides (Beyond Hiring Guide, Identify Recruit Retain Guide, The Recruiting Industry is Broken eBook), and podcast content series (Let's Go! and Unlocking Moves). The company positions itself as an alternative to traditional contingent recruiting, emphasizing a retained model aligned with client business goals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategic Talent Planning Proactive talent roadmapping and org chart optimization for growth-minded middle-market companies. Includes in-person facilitated sessions, gap analysis, talent roadmap development, and quarterly talent reviews. Aligns recruiting strategy with business strategy and financial forecast.
- Retained Search Permanent executive search recruiting for C-Suite and VP-level positions, focused on identifying and placing impactful leaders for long-term success. Includes deep discovery, candidate sourcing, vetting, follow-up support for up to a year post-placement, and a Talent Placement Guarantee.
- Project Consulting Placement of interim executives and project-based consultants for urgent needs and expertise. Covers ERP selection and implementation, business process optimization, M&A due diligence, and staff augmentation roles such as CFO, Controller, HR Director, and PMO.
- Talent-as-a-Service Outsourced talent acquisition support for companies hiring for multiple roles. Provides flexible, ongoing bandwidth for growing companies via a subscription-style engagement model.
- Who's Your Mike? A business book written by Kurt Wilkin about diagnosing and addressing people problems in growing companies, featuring characters like Mike, Bounce-Around Betty, and Pipeline Paul.
Quantifiable outcome
- Clients have experienced doubled revenue, increases in sales, and operational excellence through successful talent placements
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use HireBetter
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
HireBetter technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
HireBetter partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Austin WorknetcoreLocal workforce and employment services partner in the Austin area, sharing similar values and commitment to connecting talent with opportunities.
- CEO Coaching InternationalcoreCEO coaching organization whose partners frequently refer clients to HireBetter for strategic talent planning. Jacquie Hart, Partner, provides testimonial praising HireBetter's approach.
- Chief OutsiderscoreExecutive advisory firm providing fractional chief operating officers who partner with HireBetter for talent needs of their shared clients.
- Lehman AssociatessupportingStrategic consulting partner with aligned values in helping growth-stage companies succeed.
- Mission SquaredsupportingPartner focused on helping organizations achieve mission alignment and execute strategic initiatives.
- Preferred CFOsupportingFractional CFO services firm that refers clients to HireBetter for executive talent needs and vice versa.
- STS Capital PartnerssupportingM&A advisory and capital partners who work with HireBetter on talent aspects of transactions and portfolio company leadership.
- TranscendsupportingBusiness consulting partner with shared focus on helping growth-stage companies scale effectively.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
HireBetter competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spencer Stuart: Privately held global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Direct peer on retained senior-executive search methodology and white-glove client engagement model, though it operates at Fortune 500 scale.
- Heidrick & Struggles: One of the largest pure-play executive search and leadership advisory firms globally. Closely comparable to HireBetter on retained C-Suite and VP-level search, though it primarily serves larger enterprise clients rather than the lower middle market.
- Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a strong retained search and board advisory practice. Comparable on methodology, board/C-suite placement focus, and long-term advisory engagements.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Global leadership advisory and retained executive search firm with deep C-Suite placement expertise. Comparable to HireBetter in search methodology, retained model, and advisory-led client engagement, though at larger enterprise scale.
- Signium: Global retained executive search firm with strong mid-market practice and cross-border delivery. Comparable to HireBetter on retained senior leadership placements, particularly for growth-stage and family-owned companies.
- Odgers Berndtson: Global retained executive search firm with strong mid-market and growth-company practice. Comparable on retained model and senior executive placements, with multi-region delivery.
- DHR International: Global retained executive search firm placing senior leaders across functions and industries. Closely comparable to HireBetter's retained executive search practice, including mid-market and growth-company client segments.
- Diversified Search: U.S.-based retained executive search firm with significant mid-market and growth-stage practice. Directly comparable to HireBetter on retained search for entrepreneurial and growth-minded companies across functional leadership.
Broad incumbents
- Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with the world's largest executive search practice. Comparable because it serves the same senior-executive placement need HireBetter addresses, but at much larger client scale and with a broader portfolio of services.
- Robert Half: Large staffing and talent solutions firm with a dedicated executive search practice (Protiviti and Robert Half Executive Search). Comparable on placement of senior finance, operations, and technology leaders, but operates at much broader scale and across temporary staffing as well.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HireBetter social profiles
Digital presenceHireBetter financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HireBetter leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
HireBetter funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HireBetter M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HireBetter
What does HireBetter do?
HireBetter is a strategic talent partner that provides retained executive recruiting and talent consulting services to growth-minded, lower middle-market companies (approximately $10M–$200M in revenue). Its core offerings include Strategic Talent Planning (talent roadmapping aligned to business strategy and financial forecast), Retained Search (permanent C-Suite and VP-level placements), Project Consulting (interim executives and consulting for ERP, M&A, and operational initiatives), and Talent-as-a-Service (outsourced talent acquisition for multi-role hiring).
Is HireBetter a public or private company?
HireBetter is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was HireBetter founded?
HireBetter was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is HireBetter based?
HireBetter is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does HireBetter make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retained Search is the primary driver. The others are strategic Talent Planning, project Consulting and talent-as-a-Service.
Who are HireBetter's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder, Russell Reynolds Associates, Signium, Odgers Berndtson, DHR International and Diversified Search. Broad incumbents are Korn Ferry and Robert Half.
Does HireBetter have an API?
No public API is recorded for HireBetter.
What industry is HireBetter in?
HireBetter's product category is Executive Search & Talent Acquisition Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAFAC, Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare), with a secondary code of BPAHAGAA, Talent Management & Workforce Planning Consulting. Its NAICS code is 561312 and its SIC code is 7361.